


the hero's hero

by xylodemon



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Ficlet, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-05-12
Updated: 2005-05-12
Packaged: 2017-10-29 08:25:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/317782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xylodemon/pseuds/xylodemon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ron is always right behind him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the hero's hero

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tarie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tarie/gifts).



> For [](http://tarie.livejournal.com/profile)[**tarie**](http://tarie.livejournal.com/), who was having a terrible, no good day.

7.

He knows before anyone comes for him. He feels it in his scar, in his bones, in his heart.

Mrs. Weasley's face is pale and tight when she pushes the door open. Harry is already dressed, and standing by the window with his wand in his hand.

He leaves quietly, his footsteps silent. He doesn't go to Ron's room, doesn't wake him, because he doesn't want Ron to get hurt, killed, but when he gets to the Floo, Ron is waiting.

The air flashes a sickly, emerald green as they walk onto the field, and Ron never leaves his side.

6.

The Order meetings are long, frustrating. Everyone talks, but little is said, and nothing is done.

He supposes he should be grateful he's included now, and he is, but it's difficult. He's as trapped in this house as Sirius was, and it's driving him just as crazy. He wants them to let him go, let him end this, so they can have normal lives.

The nightmares come every night.

When he wakes, he's screaming, sweating, afraid. When he wakes, Ron climbs into his bed, and calms him with freckled limbs twined around his and soft words whispered in his ear.

5.

The room is long and tall, and crystal spheres glitter and shine from row after row of shelves. He's been there before, many, many nights, and on the floor, Sirius is screaming.

Hermione tries to talk him around. She says he's dreaming, he's imagining things, but he's not, he knows he's not. He knows it is real this time, just like Ron's dad.

He needs to go. He needs to find Sirius and he needs to help him, because Sirius is his family now, the only family he has.

When Hermione argues with him, Ron helps him stand his ground.

4.

When Harry first realizes it's Ron they have taken, he panics. His chest hurts, and he shakes from the icy chill that settles in his stomach.

It's washed away by the swimming and saving, drowned out by the flurry of activity that follows Harry coming back to shore. But once they're upstairs, even though Ron is dressed and dry and alive, it returns. He looks at red hair, at freckles, at Ron, and it comes back, a knot in his stomach and a tightness in his chest.

Their first kiss tastes like lake water, and Harry remembers how to breathe.

3.

Black is all waxy skin and sunken eyes, and Harry thinks he looks dead. His hair is filthy, matted, and his eyes are empty and hollow. He is mad, desperate, and Harry knows they are going to die.

Ron's leg is twisted the wrong way and bleeding sluggishly. Hermione is shaking, and Black's laughter is coarse and rough.

There is a moment of silence. Harry hears his heart beat, and he wonders if Black has a heart in his thin, scarred chest.

Ron stands, forces himself upright on one leg. Wandless, he tells Black that Harry will not die alone.

2.

The ancient basin rattles and groans as it sinks into the floor, and the porcelain scrapes against the dirty tiles with a noise that is shrill and painful. Then the entrance is open, yawning like the mouth of a cold, white monster.

A hard shove makes Lockhart the first to go down, and Harry watches as he disappears, as he is swallowed by darkness and death. Harry hesitates. He's scared, and time seems to stretch, pause, stop. But the Chamber waits, Ginny waits, and Lockhart is useless, wandless.

Harry takes a deep breath. He slides inside, and Ron is right behind him.

1.

The Hogwart's Express jolts into motion, and Harry's stomach twists. He knows what he's seen and what he's heard, but he still thinks there is some kind of mistake.

He still thinks they've confused him with someone else.

The boy named Ron comes through the carriage door. Harry's stomach twists again, but Ron chases it away with freckles and smiles and hair the color of the horizon.

His eyes widen when he sees Harry's scar. Then he blinks, and offers Harry half of his sandwich.

In return, Harry gives him one of the smiles he's never been allowed to share.


End file.
